black and white, and cool all over

The inspiration behind countless works of art and memorable rooms, this timeless duo has an uncanny ability to look forever fresh and
suit every style. Introduce a third color to thicken the plot

Who is Sir John Soane? From the late 18th into the 19th century, this English architect created idiosyncratic, neoclassically styled commercial and residential projects. He used his London home (now a fantastic museum) as a lab for ideas and as a repository for his huge, varied collection of antiquities, art and architectural salvage—from old-master paintings and Roman bronzes to mummified cats and medieval gems.

It's a straightforward and fairly inexpensive process to have a length of fabric—like this mod print by '70s designer Alan Campbell—transformed into a simple curtain. A black grosgrain ribbon makes a casual tieback.